


his feelings were an oil spill

by prouveyrac



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater, Trc - Fandom, the raven cycle
Genre: College AU, Enemies to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 10:02:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7504114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prouveyrac/pseuds/prouveyrac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(based on the prompt pynch + enemies to lovers)</p>
<p>It wasn’t that Adam hated the guy who was in the dorm next to his own. It was just that Adam had a huge exam tomorrow, and said neighbor wouldn’t stop blasting music.<br/>His neighbor wasn’t even playing good music.<br/>(If he heard his neighbor practically shout “SQUASH ONE! SQUASH TWO!” Adam might just start crying).<br/>Okay so maybe there was some hatred.</p>
<p>(also known as: who knew shitty music could bring people together)</p>
            </blockquote>





	his feelings were an oil spill

It wasn’t that Adam hated the guy who was in the dorm next to his own. It was just that Adam had a huge exam tomorrow, and said neighbor wouldn’t stop blasting music. 

Not to mention the fact that his roommate, Gansey, was not only a history major but a history _buff_ (especially about everything that had to do with Welsh Kings) so it wasn’t uncommon for Gansey to be sitting at his desk at three-a.m. with that headache-giving lamp analyzing every little history thing. And he was on the rowing team so he had to get up early, and even though Gansey tried to be as quiet as possible, it could only be so much in a small dorm room, so Adam was already exhausted enough. 

It was getting late and he wanted this studying process to go quickly, but seems like that wasn’t going to happen.

His neighbor wasn’t even playing _good_ music.

(If he heard his neighbor practically shout “ _SQUASH ONE! SQUASH TWO!_ ” Adam might just start crying).

He was stressed. This exam counted too much for Adam to blow it.

He was tired, tired, _tired_. He was always tired.

And he was _angry_. Angry at his insensitive neighbor for blasting this god-awful music, obviously not caring about what Adam, the other students, and the RA thought.

Okay so maybe there was some hatred.

And, yes, Adam didn’t even know his neighbor’s name, but he was here to study and eventually be able to help others; Not confront his obnoxious neighbor.

The music got louder.

His head shot up from the sentence he’s been reading for the past five minutes and his fingers loosened their grip from his book as Gansey strode in and kicked the door shut behind him.

Adam watched as Gansey, with furrowed eyebrows, kicked his shoes off.

“Ronan sure does have an abominable music taste,” he said as he dropped his bag onto his bed.

It seemed like Gansey never could use simple words like awful, terrible,  _bad_. If a word was four syllables or longer, Gansey used-

_Wait._

“Ronan?” Adam asked, raising an eyebrow. “You mean you know him?”

Gansey nodded. “He’s in my Latin class, next to me. He’s actually really good, which is weird since I heard that in most of his other classes he barely puts any work effort in.”

“So how about you try to get him to turn it down? Or, better, off?” Adam suggested.

“Already did.”

“And?”

“He made it louder. But that’s… Ronan.”

Adam couldn’t hold back his groan and he flopped his head onto his open book.

Every library was occupied, and honestly they weren’t all that quiet, and now he has to deal with a neighbor that not only had shitty music taste, but also refused to turn it down.

Yeah, hatred was the right word.

* * *

The sun was hot against Adam’s back as he walked across the campus field. Days like this was when he wished he had shorts to wear and a lighter bag to carry.

It was his off hour, so maybe if he found a secluded, shady spot not only would he be able to get out of the sun but also he’d be able to study in peace.

In the end, he found Gansey sitting with a boy with a shaved head under a tree, books in front of them, and that was fine with Adam.

“Mind if I sit?” Adam asked, coming up besides Gansey.

“Adam!” Gansey beamed, always beaming, as he looked up from his notebook. “Yeah, of course.”

As he sat next to Gansey and set his bag on the grass, he looked over at the other boy with him, who took a moment to glance up at him before looking down at the only book in front of him (Latin, it seemed). Only one headphone was in his ear and the music played so loudly Adam could hear something that was so _familiar_ , so on the tip of his tongue.

“Oh, Adam, this is Ronan,” Gansey said, nodding to _him.  
_

_The enemy._

And then Adam heard it: _SQUASH ONE, SQUASH TWO._

Adam felt like he had a flame growing inside of him and completely overtaking him. This was the guy that caused him to lose precious studying time. Who caused him to have to cram study early in the morning and get little-to-no sleep and now Adam’s here and feeling dead inside because he’s so tired and-

Ronan must have seen the look on Adam’s face because his lips turned up into a smirk and Adam’s anger and mind faltered for a moment.

All Adam could muster was, “You know that’s an awful song.” Before Gansey or Ronan could say anything else, he quickly got out, “And, actually, I have to go. It’s hot out and I’m starving and I forgot a book for my next class and…” He trailed off as he left the two boys, annoyed, embarrassed, and slightly faltered.

* * *

“A party?” Adam questioned, raising his eyebrows at Gansey from where he laid on his bed.

“Yeah, one of the seniors on the rowing team is throwing one at the house where the sophomore and older live,” Gansey explained. “But like, everyone’s going, or at least a lot of people. Of course I’m not going to force you to go, though.”

Adam thoughts for a minute. It was a Friday night, he obviously didn’t have any classes the next day. And he _did_ need to get out of this dorm room before he ended up climbing the walls. Still, he _was_ exhausted… but one night out wouldn’t kill him. With a shrug, he said, “Sure, why not.”

Gansey grinned. Adam noted that Gansey was nearly always grinning, always with a positive attitude, always passionate. He wondered if it was all true. “Great! We can obviously go together, and if it gets too wild you can go, you’re not obligated to stay.”

“I know.” 

“And that girl Blue is going to be there. Do you know her? I think I’ve mentioned her before-”

“You have.”

“I have one class with her, she sits next to me. Seems like an excellent girl-”

“Excellent?” Adam smirked. “Are you in love with her?”

Gansey sputtered out a “no”, that calm and yet joyful exterior being traded for a blush. Before Adam could say -or tease- anymore, Gansey said, “Well, come on! Fashionably late stops being fashionable after fifteen or so minutes!”

“You would know?” Adam asked, following him out the door and pushing it shut behind them.

“Of course I do! You see, it all depends on the type of party…”

 

The party ended up not just involving the rowing team house, but also the front and backyard. Once Adam and Gansey arrived, they instantly found Blue, a short girl with an abundance of clips holding down her hair.

And, of course, Ronan was there. Perhaps Adam was being petty, and hasn’t spoken to him since they’re very short one-sided chat under the tree, but Ronan also hasn’t stopped blasting the music obnoxiously loud. And Adam doesn’t want to be the one to run to the RA and “tattletale”, so he decided to sit in his dorm and stay quiet but angry.

Still, though, the four of them found themselves in their own corner of the back yard, sitting on the grass and drinks in their hands. Adam was actually enjoying himself. Blue was fun, and Gansey finally started to lay back. And Ronan was… barely mentioning Adam. But yet again, Adam was barely mentioning Ronan.

Somehow, they’ve gotten onto the topic of Blue’s family being psychics.

“A family of psychics?” Ronan smirked and then bared his palms. “So what do my hands tell you?”

Blue studied them for a moment before looking up at him. “They say you’re a dick.”

Adam liked this girl.

“I actually think that’s supposed to be our dear friend Dick, I mean Richard,” Ronan said smoothly, pointing to Gansey.

Blue laughed, and so did Ronan, and Gansey rolled his eyes but even he couldn’t hide his smile, and a laugh slipped out of Adam’s own mouth and he mentally kicked himself for it. This was his enemy, his rival, his…

He was too tired to think of anymore synonyms.

Maybe he was being petty. Maybe Ronan just needed to get a better music taste.

“But I’m not really the one that’s psychic,” Blue said. “That’s like… everyone else.”

“Oh so you’re the boring one,” Ronan said over his drink before taking a sip. That was followed by Gansey saying, “Ronan, play nice.”

Blue rolled her eyes. “If you must know, I make their jobs easier. I make things louder.”

It seemed like Gansey could sense that Ronan was about to come back with a witty and probably slightly insulting comment so he cut off with, “Hey, Ronan, is Noah showing up tonight?”

“He said he would,” Ronan said with a shrug.

“Noah?” Adam asked, glancing over at Blue who looked just as confused as he did.

“He’s in our Latin class, and Ronan’s roommate,” Gansey explained. “Said he’d be here tonight.”

Adam was surprised Ronan had a roommate who put up with him.

As if on cue, because after living with him for a couple weeks Adam realized a lot works on cue for him, Gansey’s phone buzzed. “And turns out he’s here.”

“What a coincidence,” Blue said as Gansey stood up and stretched up.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” he said with a smile. “But I’ll go find him.” The three watched him walk away, moving through the crowd with ease.

“And I’m gonna go find something that isn’t mostly alcohol.” Blue stood up too. “Do you guys want anything?”

After their affirmations of no, they didn’t want anything, Blue walked off and instantly Adam felt lost for any words or conversations. Sure, he wasn’t a fan of Ronan but he didn’t want to just sit in silence for how ever long it took Gansey and Blue to get back. He felt a pang of jealousy, the two of them were so capable of keeping the conversation flowing.

To Adam’s surprise, Ronan was the one to say something first. “So you don’t like my music?”

_Oh. This._

Hey, maybe it proved that Adam wasn’t the only one thinking about that.

“That song is awful,” Adam said bluntly. “And you play it too loud. It’s obnoxious and rude.”

“Rude?” That stupid smirk again. That smirk that seemed it could cut someone.

“Yes, rude! Some people are actually here to get something out of this! It’s impossible to get anything done with you blasting that. Don’t you have headphones or something?”

Ronan cocked an eyebrow. “ ‘Some people’? You?” He seemed bored and for some reason that infuriated Adam, like he didn’t care at all. Perhaps it was because, from what he’d heard Gansey and others say, it seemed like Ronan just barely passed through most of his classes. He could just go through the motions without a worry because, apparently, he had the financial stability to.

That was it. That’s what got to Adam. If Ronan had to, he could easily move on to another college because he was able to. Adam couldn’t afford that, wouldn’t be able to.

It wasn’t the stupid music, it was the carelessness.

“I worked my ass to get off here and I plan to actually get something out of it. I’m not going to let you and your stupid music and your… your _apathy_ get in my way from finally getting something out of my life!” Adam’s anger was rising quickly in him, making his head spin. Ronan just… _infuriated_ him. It wasn’t fair that he could be so careless and just let it get in the way of other people like it was nothing.

“It seems like you need to stop thinking about everything that’s going to happen later on and not be so uptight.” There it was again with that bored voice, those lips turned slightly upwards. “Life’s much better that way.”

Adam hated how calm he was. How condescending he sounded. With a huff, he stood up. “I can’t afford to live like that, and you’re an ass.”

He turned on his heel and practically stomped away from Ronan. He was tired, and burnt out, and Gansey said he could leave if he wanted to.

He found Gansey and a boy with faint features, probably Noah, right before the back door. “Adam?” Gansey questioned, furrowing his eyebrows. “Where are you going?”

“Back to our dorm,” Adam mumbled. “I’m exhausted and just feel… very run down.” He nodded to the other boy. “Noah, right? I’m sorry. I’ll… see you both later, probably.”

When he finally got back to his dorm room, he kicked his shoes off and changed before nearly flinging himself onto his bed. Of course, sleep wouldn’t come and and Adam was still awake and lying there when Gansey finally entered the dorm room. 

“How was the rest of the party?” Adam asked quietly, his face half smushed into his pillow.

“Fine. What happened tonight?”

“I told you, I was tired and didn’t feel that great.” Adam wasn’t technically lying.

“And that’s all?”

Adam didn’t feel like going into it.

“All there is.”

* * *

Despite Gansey becoming better friends with Ronan, and Adam often being included in hang-outs with with those two (and Blue and Noah), Adam was able to avoid Ronan. It helped that Ronan, too, was ignoring Adam. With their new friends, they were able to live in quiet distaste of each other.

When the loud music still continued, Adam, reluctant, took the headphones Gansey offered him a billion (five) times.

“Gansey,” Adam finally said to him one day as the pair walked across the courtyard. They had just finished speaking with the final three of their group, and Ronan had been as unapproachable as ever. “How are you friends with Ronan?”

To Adam, Ronan and Gansey were complete opposites. Here was Gansey, intellectual and joyful and passionate and a believer. Then there was Ronan, careless and snarky and apathetic and… and so _Not Gansey-like_.

Gansey shrugged. “He’s honest,” he admitted. “And he’s really not that bad once you get to know him. He’s been through a lot. Ronan’s just… sharp. It’s easy for people to get sliced on him.” He paused for a moment, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “I actually think you two would get along fine if you just look past the whole music thing….”

“It’s not just that,” Adam sighed. “Doesn’t it bother you how careless he is? First off, he blasts that music like no one else is around to be bothered by it. When we’re all out somewhere he just spends money like it’s nothing! He’s forwardly rude and offensive. And… you think we’d get along?”

Before Gansey answered his question, he looked up at clouds rolling in and said, “I guess I never really noticed his carelessness with money. If I’m honest, I’m the same way,” he laughed. “But, yeah, I think you two would. We’re all hanging out again later, you two can work things out then.”

Adam shrugged. “I… guess I can try.”

 

After his final class that day, rain had started to pour down and seemed to have no intentions of stopping. He made his way quickly across the courtyard, his umbrella being the only thing that kept him from getting soaked, and when the wind changed directions even that didn’t work well.

However, something stopped him on his way to the dorms, something being Ronan and some guy -Kavinsky? Might be him- pounding the shit out of each other.

Though, before Adam could even think of stopping them, the guy socked Ronan in the jaw and then the stomach. When Ronan toppled over, he seemed to say something over Ronan’s form before getting in to some nearby fancy, white car and speeding away. Even from here, Adam could see the tire tracks his screeching wheels left behind.

Adam jogged over, holding his umbrella tightly, as Ronan pushed himself off the concrete of the parking lot and swiped a hang across his bruising and bloodied jaw.

“You okay?” Adam said as he approached him.

Ronan turned his head from staring in the direction Kavinsky went to looking at Adam. And then there was that _smirk_. “You care?”

“Enough to voice my concern,” Adam said, taking steps closer.

“Well I don’t need any help,” Ronan bit, running a hand over his shaved head. “I don’t need you to step up and be a _big, strong man_ for me.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “The only help I’m giving you in my umbrella since it’s pouring and maybe it would slow the _very attractive_ blood dripping down your chin.”

Ronan rolled his eyes but nonetheless swiped his hand with its bruised knuckles across his chin. And with only slight hesitation, Ronan stepped under the umbrella. Ronan was taller than Adam, so Adam had to readjust how he was holding it until Ronan finally said, “Here, I’ll take it.”

So Adam did, and their hands brushed, and Adam was shocked and confused by the sparks it sent through him.

On the way back to the dorms, still a walk away, Adam said, “That was Kavinsky, right?”

“That was a prick,” Ronan mumbled. “He just got a lucky shot.”

“What was that fight about, anyway?”

“Writing a book?” Ronan quipped. Adam soured inside but Ronan then sighed and said, “Kavinsky talks shit. He needs someone to put him in his place.”

“You seemed pretty good against him,” Adam admitted.

“That’s because I am,” Ronan shrugged.

“Who taught you how to fight?”

“What’s with all the questions and interrogating?” Ronan asked, looking down at him. “Why do you care so much?”

“I’m just trying to have a conversation!” Adam snapped, furrowing his eyebrows. “It’s not interrogating, it’s being curious.”

A silence passed between them, one with Adam glaring forward and Ronan looking at Adam.

“My dad taught me and my brothers,” Ronan finally said. “He said _that_ , in a world like _this_ , with people like _that_ , we need to be able to.”

“You have brothers?” Adam asked, looking back up at him.

“Woah, don’t you think I get to ask a question now?” This time, the smirk fell off his face and turned into a smile. Adam… could get used to seeing that smile, honestly.

“Go ahead.”

“Why’d you have to work your ass off to get here?”

“That’s a pretty heavy question,” Adam noted. “But you remember me saying that?”

“Yes, I do,” Ronan answered. “Now your answer?”

“I had a pretty… god-awful home life,” Adam said, avoiding the messy details. He would rather not have to relive that, relive the pain he felt. “It was a place meant for leaving, so I had to work my ass off in school and carry a bunch of jobs so I could finally make it out of their and have my own life.” He then quickly added, “And don’t start pitying me, I don’t need anyone’s pity.”

“I don’t pity people,” Ronan said simply.

At hearing that, Adam smiled. His entire life he’s been faced with people who give him smiles of pity and condescension when he’s trying to make change out of his wallet, looks of pity when they see the bruises climbing his face.

And then there was Ronan.

“You know, Ronan, with that attitude, I actually think we can get along,” Adam said.

“Just like Gansey wanted us to,” Ronan said, shifting the umbrella with the wind.

“Wait did Gansey give you the same speech about being friends once we get to know each other?” Adam asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ronan laughed and nodded. “He’s such a… _dad_.”

Adam laughed, too, at that, tilting his head back. “So,” he said, pushing his wet hair off his forehead. “You have brothers?”

“Declan and Matthew,” Ronan said. “Declan’s a sophomore in college, Matthew’s a junior in high school. And you?”

“No siblings,” Adam said as they approached the dorms.

“And, uh, hey, Adam,” Ronan said as they walked through the door and he closed the umbrella. “I’m… sorry for what I said at that party.”

Adam looked at him with shock. “No offense, but I didn’t peg you as the type to apologize.”

“Yeah, exactly, so remember and savor this moment,” Ronan said with an eye roll. “So… I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted. And, y’know, I would savor this moment even more if you turned that awful music down once in a while.”

“Hey, that song’s a classic!” Ronan defended. 

“It’s the worst!” Adam laughed. 

“You are offending mine and Noah’s _precious_ music taste!” Ronan exclaimed as they headed back to their dorms.

By then, the sun had already broken through the clouds and the sky had begun to clear.

* * *

Ronan wouldn’t leave Adam’s mind. His rough hands with their bruises plagued his thoughts. His lips upturned, his lips in general, invaded his dreams. Everything about Adam’s mind was Ronan, and the more and more they saw each other, the more and more they understood each other, Adam became more and more charmed by him.

One day, after Ronan left Adam’s dorm room one night after looking over Latin together, Adam realized what it was: he was falling for Ronan, and falling hard.

Ronan, the boy Adam once detested so, was now the boy Adam wanted to be with and kiss and do _other things_ with and-

_Shit. Fuck._

Adam groaned and flopped face first onto his bed just as the door opened and Gansey entered.

“You… okay?” Gansey asked slowly.

“Oh I’m fine, I’m well,” Adam said into his pillow, knowing it was coming out as a garbled mess.

“W-Well… okay,” Gansey said at the same pace. Adam was glad he didn’t pry.

* * *

Adam groaned as he hit his head against his door. Of course, the day Gansey was out studying with his friend Henry from his class, and would be out for most of the night, Adam forgets his key. And he knows where he left it too: right on his desk, in plain sight.

Out of sheer annoyance, he hit his head twice more as he heard the door next to him open.

“You doing alright, Adam?” Ronan asked and he could hear the smirk in his voice.

Adam had to admit, he loved the way his name sounded coming from Ronan’s lips.

“My key is in their,” Adam sighed. “And I’m out here.”

“Well, instead of giving yourself a headache, how about you come in here?” Adam looked up as Ronan stepped aside, over-dramatically gesturing for him to come in his dorm.

“Noah won’t mind?”

“Noah’s out with Blue, so get in here before I change my mind.”

Adam followed his orders and walked into Ronan’s dorm. He’d been in Ronan’s dorm before, and it looked like it usually did. Noah’s side of the room was neat for the most part, despite some books and CDs lying about and a skateboard pressed up against the wall. And Ronan’s side had more… character. There was clutter, like papers piled on desks, and books on his bed and the floor, and two speakers set up, and _more_ CDs, but it was Ronan.

“And here I thought you were the one who was always so organized and had everything in line,” Ronan said, closing the door behind them and leaning on it.

“Well, everyone has their moments,” Adam shrugged. “Especially when they’re rushing because they woke up fifteen minutes before their first class started.”

Ronan chuckled. “And you made it in time?”

“Surprisingly.”

“How impressive,” Ronan said. “Well, there’s no curfew so stay as long as you need.”

“How kind,” Adam murmured, dropping his bag on the floor and looking around. When his eyes glanced over the desk, he caught sight of a CD labelled “ _MURDER SQUASH SONG_ ” in messy letters.

Adam laughed, picking up the CD. “Is this the dreaded music?”

“You mean the best music?” Ronan said, pushing off the door to approach Adam. “Of course.”

Ronan gently took the CD from Adam’s hands, but when their hands brushed again, both boys faltered. Adam’s breathing hitched and he longed to reach forward and take Ronan’s hand in his own. And Ronan, Ronan looked at him with soft eyes, a look Adam recognized.

Ronan dropped the CD on his bed and kissed Adam. At that moment, Adam’s mind cleared and when Ronan’s hands, rough and yet gentle at the same time, cupped his face, his heart somehow sped and stopped at the same time.

The two boys pulled away from a moment, their foreheads resting against each other. They breathed deeply, looking at each other through intense and passionate eyes. Adam let his own trail down to look at Ronan’s lips and, with little to no hesitation, he chased the last kiss with another one.

Ronan, someone so rough around the edges, so sharp, was somehow so soft.

Adam wanted _this_ , wanted _him_.

* * *

One Saturday morning, Adam woke up with Ronan in Adam’s dorm. The bed was small, and slightly cramped, but they worked it out by Adam first gluing himself to Ronan’s side, and then Ronan pulling Adam onto him.

Adam looked up at Ronan, in awe that this person was _his_. Gently, he kissed his way up Ronan’s chest and finally to his jaw, waiting for Ronan -his boyfriend- to stir.

Finally, Ronan did and blinked a couple times before looking down at Adam. “Well, good morning to you too,” Ronan mumbled.

Adam smiled against his jaw, leaving one last kiss before resting his head on his hands.

“Remind me, how did you convince Gansey to let us have your room for the night?” Ronan asked, looking around the empty dorm.

“You know, I think he stayed with Blue last night,” Adam said, looking over at the clock and squinting at it. Something about it was off…

“Adorable,” Ronan said, leaning his head back on the pillows as Adam still studied the clock. An alarm was about to go off that he didn’t remember setting. As he reached over to shut it down, it suddenly went off.

_SQUASH ONE! SQUASH TWO!_

Ronan let out a loud, continuous laugh and Adam groaned, pressing his face against Ronan’s bare chest. “Okay, that’s it, this has been fun but you need to go,” he mumbled.

Ronan, laughing, managed out, “Oh come on, you know you love me!”

Adam reached his hand out and smacked the alarm until it finally shut off. “Unfortunately,” he said with a smile, picking his head up and craning his neck to kiss Ronan.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!!! it would be the world to me if you left kudos and comments :)
> 
> follow me on tumblr @ g4nseyiii.tumblr.com


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